Log-splitter for use with vehicles having hydraulic pressure systems

ABSTRACT

A log-splitter includes a ground-engagable beam with a hydraulic cylinder on the upper beam surface receiving pressure fluid from a vehicle to which the splitter is detachably connected for transportation and for selective lifting of the splitter. The connection of the splitter to the vehicle is made at the end of the beam nearer the center of gravity of the log-splitter.

D United States Patent 1191 1111 3,760,854

Worthington Sept. 25, 1973 [5 1 LOG-SPLITTER FOR USE WITH VEHICLES3,319,675 5/1967 Bles 144/193 A HAVING HYDRAULIC PRESSURE SYSTEMS [76]Inventor: Robert D. Worthington, Todds Rd., Primary m n R- Schran Rt.No. 7, Lexington, Ky. 40502 Atmmeywm1flm E- Sherwood [22] Filed: June23, I972 Appl. No.: 265,719

[52] US. Cl 144/193 A [51] Int. Cl. B271 7/00 [58] Field of Search144/193 A [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,280,864 10/1966Spanenberg 144/193 A [57] ABSTRACT A log-splitter includes aground-engagable beam with a hydraulic cylinder on the upper beamsurface receiving pressure fluid from a vehicle to which the splitter isdetachably connected for transportation and for selective lifting of thesplitter. The connection of the splitter to the vehicle is made at theend of the beam nearer the center of gravity of the log-splitter.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PAHNYEHSEPZSISH SHEET 1 If 2 FIG. 3

PATENIEDSEPZSIQIS SHEET 2 [If 2 LOG-SPLITTER FOR USE WITH VEHICLESHAVING HYDRAULIC PRESSURE SYSTEMS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many formsof log-splitters ranging from towed vehicles having their own hydraulicpower sources for operating the splitter, such as the engine drivenpumps taught in Bruckner U.S. Pat. No. 3,077,214 and Hellstrorn U.S.Pat. No. 3,242,955, to towed vehicles receiving hydraulic power from aprime mover such as a tractor as found in Spanenberg U.S. Pat. No.3,280,864 or Cole U.S. Pat. No. 3,356,] 15 have been proposed. Sucharrangements however, require a lifting of the unsplit log to a heightabove the axle of the towed vehicle and are more expensive in that awheel and axle substructure are necessary. Another version as disclosedin Bles U.S. Pat. No. 3,319,675 is detachably connected to a hydraulicsystem equipped tractor having a three point hitch, as represented bythe present invention, but is required to dispose an elongated cylinderbeneath the beam with a piston rod which operatively projects beyond thebeam, and to shift the center of gravity of the splitter away from thathitch. By contrast, the present log splitter embodies the simplicity ofthe Spanenberg device with the advantages of the Bles device fortransportability and in addition provides for adjustments of elevationfor handling of logs.

Summary The log splitter is designed to receive hydraulic power from aconventional three-point hitch equipped vehicle and includes anelongated beam with a hydraulic cylinder mounted near one end of thebeam on the upper surface thereof. The cylinder includes a piston rodattached to a log-engaging abutment movable in a track on the beam andadapted to force the log against a stationary splitting head at thedistal end of the beam. A laterally extending rod at the one end of thebeam detacha bly connects the beam to the lower two hitch arms and abraced upright at the one end of the beam detachably connects the beamto the upper hitch arm. A manually operable valve mounted'on the beamadjacent the extended position of the piston in the cylinder controlsflow into and from the cylinder and aids in a one-man operation of thesplitter.

' Among the objects of the invention are the provision of an improvedlog splitter which may be employed at a selected height for minimumlifting of the log; the provision of a relatively inexpensive logsplitter construction which may be operated by a single worker; theprovision of a sturdylog splitter having its center of gravity disposedvfor most efficient lifting and transportation by a vehicle equipped witha three-point hitch; and the pro-vision of a log splitter which receivesits power from a conventional vehicle having a hydraulic pressure systemwith which the log splitter may be easily connected or disconnected.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become moreapparent as the description proceeds and when considered in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing in which,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the log splitter attached to aconventional tractor in readiness for use.

FIG. 2 is a plan view to a larger scale of the log splitter partiallybroken away and with portions omitted in the interest of clarity.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 4 is a view indicating the adaptability of the to provide asubstantial ground engaging surface, in-' cludes a central web 12 and iscut at the ends on a bias with forward and rearward skid plates 13, 14welded thereto to permit simple positioning of the splitter duringmaneuvering of the vehicle. A pair of spaced uprights 15, 16 are affixedto the upper face 10 at a first end and are braced by tension rods 17,18 extending from the upper ends of the uprights to the sides of thebeam at a forward point where no interference with the handling of thelog is incurred. At their upper ends these uprights are provided withholes through which a bolt 19 threaded at its ends extends and which isheld by nuts 20, 21. A clevis 22 extending to a turnbuckle pivotallyconnected to the upper arm 23 of the hitch (FIG. 1) is disposed betweenthe uprights in surrounding relation to bolt 19.

In addition an elongated rod 25 is affixed to the web 12 of the beambelow the uprights and projects outwardly therefrom a distancecorresponding to the spacing between the lower arms 26, 27 of the hitch.Those lower arms are pivotally connected at their outer ends to theprojecting ends of rod 25 and are secured thereto with any suitabledetachable fastening.

Near the second end of the beam a V-shaped splitting head 30 which maybe of hardened steel, is suitably affixed to the upper face of the beamin confronting relation to the end of the log pushed thereagainst bymovable abutment 31. This abutment includes side walls, as best seen inFIGS. 2 and 3, mounting a pin 32 on which a piston rod 33 is journalledand with lower side guides 34, 35 adapted to move along and beneathrails 36, 37 extending from about the mid-point of the beam to adjacentthe splitting edge of the head 30. The piston rod extends from aconventional double-acting cylinder 38 mounted on the upper face 10 ofthe beam and with its closed end located adjacent the uprights therebyto disposethe weight of the cylinder as near as practicable to theattachments of the log splitter to the hitch points. Suitable conduits39, 40 and 41 are provided for leading pressure fluid selectively to andfrom the respective ends of the cylinder.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the invention comprehends the use of theimproved log splitter with a general purpose vehicle such as a farmtractor to which the splitter may easily be attached while restingon theground and after attachment may be moved to any suitable worksite bythat tractor. Such a tractor, for example, may have the usual drivewheels connected by an axle and with a pump 52 at the rear face of thetractor body being driven by the tractor engine and adapted to circulatepressure fluid in its hydraulic system under control of a tractormounted valve lever 41. Detachably connected to the pump circuit are twoflexible conduits 42, 43 leading to a valve housing 44 mounted on thebeam at a position adjacent the fully retracted position of theabutment. Conveniently, the pump may circulate about 12 gallons of fluidper minute at an effective pressure of about 2,000 pounds per squareinch and this has been found to be sufficient to operate a relativelysmall diameter cylinder having a 31 inch stroke in the splitting of logscomposed of common varieties of wood.

The valve housing 44 contains a conventional valve operated by a two-waycontrol lever 45 which can be reached by the operator while loading orunloading logs or sections thereof on the beam. Moreover, the tractor isprovided with conventional hitch adjusters 46, 47 pivotally attachednear the rear face of the tractor and including rods having a pivotedclevis attachment to the lower arms 26, 27 of the hitch.

As will be understood, the lever 41 is operated by the tractor driverfrom his seat on the tractor so as to select the height of the hitch fora given work site and to establish flow from the pump through conduits42, 43, after which the tractor operator may then dismount and work atthe log splitter. As seen in FIG. 4 the log splitter may rest on theground surface S to avoid lifting of logs to a distance greater than theheight of beam surface or may be raised to a substantial height H aswhen logs on a wagon are to be shifted to the beam for splitting. Whenthe splitter is being moved from one work site to another the splitternormally will occupy position H. Such movement imposes mechanical stresson the hitch and the described location of the center of gravity of thesplitter aids in reducing such stress. Moreover, at all times thepresence of the inlined support members 17, 18 assists in maintainingthe structural integrity of the uprights connected to the hitch andserves as a convenient support to which the flexible conduits may belashed.

Following the log splitting operation the worker lowers the beam to theground; disconnects conduits 42, 43 (the free ends of which may be thensecured in simple brackets on the sides of the beam, one such bracket 48for conduit 42 being indicated in FIG. 4); and disconnects the hitchfrom the splitter.

Having thus described a preferred form of log splitter, it will beunderstood that the invention may also be embodied in forms other thanthat exemplified as the preferred form.

What is claimed is:

l. A log-splitter for removable attachment to a vehicle having athree-point hitch and a hydraulic pressure system including, anelongated beam, a hydraulic cylinder mounted on the upper face of saidbeam adjacent a first end thereof, a splitting head longitudinallyspaced from said cylinder and mounted on the upper face of said beamadjacent a second end thereof, a track on said upper face between thecylinder and the head, an abutment engageable with and movable alongsaid track and actuated by a piston rod extending from said cylinder, atransverse rod projecting from the sides of said beam adjacent saidfirst end thereof and adapted to be detachably and pivotally connectedto the lower two arms of the hitch, an upright fixed to said beamadjacent the first end thereof and adapted to be detachably andpivotally connected to the upper arm of the hitch, a pair of conduitsdetachably connected to the hydraulic system of the vehicle andcommunicating with the respective ends of said cylinder, and a controlvalve mounted on said beam intermediate the ends thereof and serving todirect fluid in said conduits selectively into and from the respectiveends of said cylinder.

2. A log-splitter as defined in claim 1 wherein said hitch connectionsare of a type permitting said beam selectively to rest on the ground orto be raised to an elevated position above the ground.

3. A log-splitter as defined in claim 1 wherein said control valve ismounted at a position adjacent the fully retracted position of saidabutment.

4. A log-splitter as defined in claim 1 including an inclined supportmember connected to said upright and said beam and extending fromadjacent the top of said upright to a point intermediate the ends ofsaid beam.

5. A log-splitter ad defined in claim 1 wherein the center of gravity ofsaid log-splitter at all times is nearer said first end of said beamthan said second end thereof.

1. A log-splitter for removable attachment to a vehicle having athree-point hitch and a hydraulic pressure system including, anelongated beam, a hydraulic cylinder mounted on the upper face of saidbeam adjacent a first end thereof, a splitting head longitudinallyspaced from said cylinder and mounted on the upper face of said beamadjacent a second end thereof, a track on said upper face between thecylinder and the head, an abutment engageable with and movable alongsaid track and actuated by a piston rod extending from said cylinder, atransverse rod projecting from the sides of said beam adjacent saidfirst end thereof and adapted to be detachably and pivotally connectedto the lower two arms of the hitch, an upright fixed to said beamadjacent the first end thereof and adapted to be detachably andpivotally connected to the upper arm of the hitch, a pair of conduitsdetachably connected to the hydraulic system of the vehicle andcommunicating with the respective ends of said cylinder, and a controlvalve mounted on said beam intermediate the ends thereof and serving todirect fluid in said conduits selectively into and from the respectiveends of said cylinder.
 2. A log-splitter as defined in claim 1 whereinsaid hitch connections are of a type permitting said beam selectively torest on the ground or to be raised to an elevated position above theground.
 3. A log-splitter as defined in claim 1 wherein said controlvalve is mounted at a position adjacent the fully retracted position ofsaid abutment.
 4. A log-splitter as defined in claim 1 including aninclined support member connected to said upright and said beam andextending from adjacent the top of said upright to a point intermediatethe ends of said beam.
 5. A log-splitter ad defined in claim 1 whereinthe center of gravity of said log-splitter at all times is nearer saidfirst end of said beam than said second end thereof.